leg muscle spasms at night

proudest m0nki wrote in message <0budnW2Sgu8JzlXdRVn-
[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

i've been recently getting excruciating muscle "spasms" in
my legs at night...waking up from it, etc. it feels like
the muscle is being flexed really hard, and it occurs in my
calves, hamstrings, and quads...usually lasting 10 seconds
at a time. when it happens, you can actually see the muscle
"balled up"... and it only seems to happen at night. anyone
know why this is happening?

Make sure you're getting hydrated properly, and check that
you're getting enough electrolytes mainly: sodium,
potassium, magnesium and calcium.

I don't know why it happens, but stretch the leg by bringing
your heel down and toes upward to get rid of it when it
happens. Stretching the toes downwards will make it worse.

--
Colm

"proudest m0nki" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

i've been recently getting excruciating muscle "spasms" in
my legs at night...waking up from it, etc. it feels like
the muscle is being flexed really hard, and it occurs in
my calves, hamstrings, and quads...usually lasting 10
seconds at a time. when it happens, you can actually see
the muscle "balled up"... and it only seems to happen at
night. anyone know why this is happening?

In article <[email hidden]>,

proudest m0nki said:

i've been recently getting excruciating muscle "spasms" in
my legs at night...waking up from it, etc. it feels like
the muscle is being flexed really hard, and it occurs in
my calves, hamstrings, and quads...usually lasting 10
seconds at a time. when it happens, you can actually see
the muscle "balled up"... and it only seems to happen at
night. anyone know

I get woken by leg cramps during high-milage weeks unless I
stretch before bedtime.

Andrew

"proudest m0nki" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

i've been recently getting excruciating muscle "spasms" in
my legs at night...waking up from it, etc. it feels like
the muscle is being flexed really hard, and it occurs in
my calves, hamstrings, and quads...usually lasting 10
seconds at a time. when it happens, you can actually see
the muscle "balled up"... and it only seems to happen at
night. anyone know why this is happening?

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handed) is about twice the size of your left? And your arm
seems to be very "cut" looking, while your left is normal?
Notice a wet spot in the bed? Finding kiddie [censored] under the
bed with the pages stuck together? Remember any "vivid"
dreams from just before these episodes? Notice that after
these episodes you seem to fall into a very deep sllep that
lasts for hours? Go here --> www.stopjerkingoffsomuch.net to
get some useful advice.

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 08:26:52 -0400, "proudest m0nki" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

i've been recently getting excruciating muscle "spasms" in
my legs at night...waking up from it, etc. it feels like
the muscle is being flexed really hard, and it occurs in my
calves, hamstrings, and quads...usually lasting 10 seconds
at a time. when it happens, you can actually see the muscle
"balled up"... and it only seems to happen at night. anyone
know why this is happening?

Muscle cramps at night are frequently caused by low levels
of potassium. Eat bananas and oranges on a regular basis to
replenish your potassium.

proudest m0nki said:

i've been recently getting excruciating muscle "spasms" in
my legs at night...waking up from it, etc. it feels like
the muscle is being flexed really hard, and it occurs in my
calves, hamstrings, and quads...usually lasting 10 seconds
at a time. when it happens, you can actually see the muscle
"balled up"... and it only seems to happen at night. anyone
know why this is happening?

As others have stated, look to your calcium, magnesium,
potassium, and sodium intake. One thing to consider, most
overlook this, are carbonated drinks with phosphoric acid
(colas). The phosphoric acid ties up calcium (forming
insoluble calcium phosphate). I used to get horrible cramps,
taking magnesium helped; however, only when I stopped
drinking drinks with phosphoric acid did my cramps quit.
Now, if I have a cola drink, cramps that night. OF course we
are all different, and YMMV.

Dr. Dickie Skepticult member in good standing #394-00596-438
Poking kooks with a pointy stick
====================================
"Let be be finale of seem. The only emperor is the emperor
of ice-cream" Wallace Stevens-1923
=====================================

Quoted message said:

Make sure you're getting hydrated properly, and check that you're getting
enough electrolytes mainly: sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.

hmm.. that's interesting.. i definitely get enough
calcium..but i'm on a birth control pill which is said to be
a mild diuretic and can deplete you of potassium... yikes

also, does anyone know if it's true that you can develop
blood clots from such spasms? i tried googling "leg spasms
at night" and found some information that said that...

The calcium is taken with the magnesium to aid in the
assimilation of the latter. Chelates are best I think.

proudest m0nki wrote in message ...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Make sure you're getting hydrated properly, and check
that you're getting enough electrolytes mainly: sodium,
potassium, magnesium and calcium.

hmm.. that's interesting.. i definitely get enough
calcium..but i'm on a birth control pill which is said
to be a mild diuretic and can deplete you of
potassium... yikes

also, does anyone know if it's true that you can develop
blood clots from such spasms? i tried googling "leg spasms
at night" and found some information that said that...

proudest m0nki said:

hmm.. that's interesting.. i definitely get enough
calcium..but i'm on a birth control pill which is said
to be a mild diuretic and can deplete you of
potassium... yikes

Switch from table salt to lite salt. Try to use about a
teaspoon per day by getting in the habit of salting your
food. Problem solved. Lite salt (various brands) is 50-50
sodium chloride and potassium chloride. Low fatters use it
to avoid sodium. Low carbers use it to pursue potassium.

thanks for the info, doug!

"Doug Freyburger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Switch from table salt to lite salt. Try to use about a
teaspoon per day by getting in the habit of salting your
food. Problem solved. Lite salt (various brands) is 50-50
sodium chloride and potassium chloride. Low fatters use it
to avoid sodium. Low carbers use it to pursue potassium.

I think there are some guys in Iraq who specialize in
removing body parts, see them, no more spasms guaranteed or
they'll return your leg.

I think "Runners World" hit his problem right-on.

Dr. Dickie <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

proudest m0nki said:

i've been recently getting excruciating muscle "spasms"
in my legs at night...waking up from it, etc. it feels
like the muscle is being flexed really hard, and it
occurs in my calves, hamstrings, and quads...usually
lasting 10 seconds at a time. when it happens, you can
actually see the muscle "balled up"... and it only seems
to happen at night. anyone know why this is happening?

As others have stated, look to your calcium, magnesium,
potassium, and sodium intake. One thing to consider, most
overlook this, are carbonated drinks with phosphoric acid
(colas). The phosphoric acid ties up calcium (forming
insoluble calcium phosphate). I used to get horrible
cramps, taking magnesium helped; however, only when I
stopped drinking drinks with phosphoric acid did my cramps
quit. Now, if I have a cola drink, cramps that night. OF
course we are all different, and YMMV.

Dr. Dickie Skepticult member in good standing #394-00596-
438 Poking kooks with a pointy stick
====================================
"Let be be finale of seem. The only emperor is the emperor
of ice-cream" Wallace Stevens-1923
=====================================